Colleen Flanigan, viral hepatitis coordinator for the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), and other healthcare experts and advocates, have a plan to begin addressing the silent epidemic of Hepatitis C in New York through increased screening and treatment.Flanigan recently noted that the number of people infected with Hepatitis C in New York State is probably three times higher than the current statistics indicate because 75 percent of those infected do not notice symptoms until late stages of infection, sometimes decades after they get the disease. Doctors don't routinely test for Hepatitis C, so many infections go undiagnosed.Nationally, deaths from Hepatitis C have now surpassed those caused by HIV. "But unlike HIV, hepatitis C is curable", Flanigan notes. These facts make rolling out a plan for better screening and treatment even more important.New York State's plan to address the problem is aided by the fact that a new rapid test to detect Hepatitis C antibodies was approved for use late last year. The new test allows patients to be screened in about 20 minutes instead of days. It is being used in Albany County, New York, by healthworkers visiting Capital neighborhoods in mobile vans. This project is operated by Project Safe Point and the AIDS Council.The NYSDOH is planning additional initiatives including the distribution of posters and "palm cards" to individuals and clinics Statewide. The materials will highlight the widespread but silent nature of Hepatitis C and the need to be screened. The State will also purchase thousands of rapid test kits to distribute to clinics, drug treatment and other facilities in New York.These initiatives support the CDC's National Hepatitis Testing Day on May 19, and World Hepatitis Day on July 28, 2012.*Next year's New York State budget includes over $2 million to continue to improve Hepatitis care at community clinics and other facilities in new York.*watch for more information on National Hepatitis Testing Day and World Hepatitis Day over the next weeks on this blog!

Patient support groups are important for patients with many diseases and conditions. Hepatitis C support groups have been shown to help patients deal with their diagnoses and manage care and treatment more effectively than they would on their own. Support groups are important elements of medical care and they improve quality of life for most participants. Support groups are more important than ever for Hepatitis C patients considering treatment, or on treatment, using one of the new protease inhibitor drugs along with PegInterferon and Ribavivin. Adding one of the new protease inhibitors has increased SVR (sustained viral response) or cure rates for patients, dramatically. Including one of the new drugs may also allow some patients to be on treatment for a lot less time than in the past. That's great news!But the new meds have also made treatment more complicated and added to the side effects some people experience. Support groups provide an important forum for patients to talk with their peers about questions to ask and the pros and cons of treatment, while they are consulting with their doctors about whether and when to treat. Once patients start treatment, support groups provide an opportunity to discuss any difficulties or side effects they are experiencing, and share tips to manage or reduce side effects and other problems.Having a place to talk about Hepatitis C and treatment with peers provides fellowship and encouragement. Support groups make it clear to individuals that they are not facing Hepatitis C and treatment alone. They are more important now than ever.If you want to find a Hepatitis C or Hepatitis C/HIV/AIDS co-infection support group in New York, go to the Hepatitis C Support Group list under the Resources section of this website.